The Federación Panameña de Béisbol announced their coaching staff for the 2026 World Baseball Classic under manager Jose Mayorga on April 28.
José Mayorga is Panama’s manager for the 2026 World Baseball Classic ???????? pic.twitter.com/OIEws4kETV
— Shawn Spradling (@Shawn_Spradling) April 28, 2025
The announcement was made on the FEDEBEIS YouTube channel.
Julio Mosquera will serve as bench coach, with Einar Diaz named hitting coach and Carlos Lee, a former Major Leaguer, joining as assistant hitting coach. Bruce Chen will handle the bullpen, Lino Diaz will coach third base, Raul Dominguez will coach first base, and Luis Caballero will act as quality control coach. Carlos Ruiz, a 2008 World Series champion, has been named an advisor.
FEDEBEIS officials have not yet announced a pitching coach due to the lack of an MLB coaching permit, according to a report from TMAXDeporte in Panama on April 28.
Panama will compete at Hiram Bithorn Stadium in San Juan, Puerto Rico, in Pool A from March 6-11, facing host nation Puerto Rico, Cuba, Canada, and Colombia.
Mayorga, born in Pueblo Nuevo, Panama, played in the Philadelphia Phillies minor league system from 2010 to 2015, reaching Double-A Reading. After his playing career, he served as bench coach for the Vancouver Canadians in 2018 and the Florida Complex League Blue Jays in 2022 before managing the FCL Blue Jays in 2022 and 2023. In 2024, he led the FCL Blue Jays to a 69-61 record, their best mark since 2019, before being named High-A Vancouver manager on February 13, 2025.
At the 2023 World Baseball Classic, Panama finished 2-2 in Pool A in Taichung, Taiwan, facing Cuba, Italy, host nation Chinese Taipei, and the Netherlands. Panama did not advance to the quarterfinals after a five-way tie, eliminated under the WBSC’s Total Quality Balance run differential rule.
Panama previously competed in the WBC in 2006 and 2009 before returning in 2023. The nation qualified for the 2023 WBC by winning the qualifier tournament at Estadio Rod Carew in Panama City in September 2022, defeating Argentina and Brazil to secure a berth.
At the 2024 Caribbean Series at loanDepot Park in Miami, Mayorga led the Federales de Chiriquí to a third-place finish, beating the Curacao Suns 5-4. Mayorga was named Manager of the All-Tournament Team after guiding the Federales to a 5-1 record in pool play.
Mayorga also managed Panama at the 2024 Premier12 tournament. The national team went 3-2 in Group A, tying for second place with the United States but failing to advance to the Super Round due to a head-to-head loss to the United States on November 12 at Coloso del Pacifico in Tepic, Mexico.
In international senior events, Panama’s most recent success was a fourth-place finish at the 2023 Pan American Games, where they lost the bronze medal game to Mexico 10-2. Panama’s only gold medals at major international senior events came at the 1997 and 2010 Central American Games.
Panama’s Scouting Outlook For 2026 WBC
Panama’s 2026 roster could feature many players returning from the 2023 WBC, including Jahdiel Santamaria, Jose Caballero, Erasmo Caballero, Christian Bethancourt, Allen Córdoba, Luis Castillo, Jhonny Santos, Joshwan Wright, Jonathan Araúz, Rubén Tejada, Jose Ramos, and Edgar Muñoz.
Potential new additions include Edmundo Sosa, Johan Camargo, Leo Jimenez, Ivan Herrera, Miguel Amaya, Rodrigo Orozco, Eduardo Tait, and Enrique Bradfield Jr., which could bolster Panama’s lineup.
Possible pitching returners and additions with starters and relievers that can be on Panama’s roster are Javy Guerra, Alberto Baldonado, Enrique Burgos, Miguel Gomez, Kevin Rodriguez, Bryan Caceras, Kevin Miranda, Dario Agrazal, Gilberto Chu, Harold Arauz, Severino Gonzalez, Davis Romero, Alberto Guerrero, Jaime Barría, Humberto Mejía, James Gonzalez, and Paolo Espino.
Several of these players participated in the 2024 Premier12 event and could be key pieces for FEDEBEIS in building the 2026 roster.
Under the leadership of FEDEBEIS president Jaime Raul Robinson Villanueva, Panama plans to scout players across professional leagues such as Nippon Professional Baseball, the Korean Baseball Organization, the Chinese Professional Baseball League, the Liga Mexicana de Beisbol, the 2025 Beisbol Mayor spring season, the 2025-26 Panama Probeis season, and other Caribbean and Australian winter leagues.
General manager Damaso Espino, who serves as an international scout for the St. Louis Cardinals, will play a crucial role in building a strong team for the 2026 WBC.
WBC Overview
Japan has won the most WBC championships with three in 2006, 2009, and 2023. The United States won in 2017 and the Dominican Republic won in 2013 and are the only other countries to win the WBC since the event started in 2006.
The WBC is sanctioned by the World Baseball Softball Confederation, the sports governing body alongside Major League Baseball, the Major League Baseball Players Association and the WBCI, that partner in organizing the event during spring training.
The 2026 WBC pool matchups for all games are available here with the confirmed dates, and no game start times have yet been announced.
2026 World Baseball Classic Information
The United States, Italy, Mexico, Great Britain and Brazil will compete at Daikin Park in Houston, Texas from March 6-11 in Pool B.
Puerto Rico, Cuba, Canada, Panama, and Colombia will compete in San Juan, Puerto Rico at Hiram Bithorn Stadium from March 6-11 in Pool A.
Japan, Australia, South Korea, Czech Republic, and Chinese Taipei will compete at the Tokyo Dome from March 5-10 in Pool C.
The Quarterfinals of the 2026 WBC will feature the Pool A runner-up facing the Pool B winner on March 13, while the Pool B runner-up will face the Pool A winner on March 14 at Daikin Park.
The other side of the Quarterfinals will be on March 13 with the Pool C runner-up playing the Pool D winner and the Pool D runner-up.